i am alive today only because the united states granted my parents religious asylum in 1978, at the beginning of the islamic revolution in iran. during those turbulent years, Bahá'Ãs were not merely subjected to the usual prejudice, social ostracism, and institutional discrimination that they had always suffered. they were also systematically rounded up, interrogated, imprisoned, tortured, and martyred by the islamic regime -- for no other reason than that they were Bahá'Ãs.
several of my extended family members and family friends were the victims of these abuses. many of them escaped iran, some did not. my family fled the country because the government was trying to kill my father -- for no other reason than that he was a Bahá'Ã. i was born in the US 4 years after my parents escaped. had my parents not be permitted to remain this country, i would not be alive, and there is a good chance that the rest of my family would not be either -- for no other reason than that we are Bahá'Ãs.
because of international outcry, the islamic regime cut back its overt extermination of Bahá'Ãs in the years after the revolution. but the persecution has continued to this day, in ever more creative and subversive ways. Bahá'Ãs in iran have no human rights, no civil rights, no guarantee that they will live to see the next day of their already-oppressed lives -- for no other reason than that they are Bahá'Ãs.
the persecution of Bahá'Ãs in iran is among the most shameless of human rights abuses. and yet, much of the world is completely unaware of the plight of this beleaguered community. i write now to raise awareness of these issues generally, and to bring especial attention to the islamic regime's renewed attacks on the continued existence of the Bahá'Ãs community in iran. in their continued efforts at cultural genocide, they have recently undertaken to systematically surveil and gather intelligence on all Bahá'Ãs, so as to more effectively destroy their lives and their livelihoods. they have also recently launched a defamation campaign against Bahá'Ãs in the government-sponsored "public" press.
for more information on these developments, please see the following:
Bahᦣ39;í —orld News Service Story
Statement from the UN Special Rapporteur
Response from the Bahᦣ39;í ‰nternational Community
A Very Interesting Parallel Drawn in a Column from the London Times
Some Information About this Topic from Wikipedia
to better illustrate the kind of persecution that Bahá'Ãs in iran face every day, i offer this excerpt from a document produced by the government in iran:
[BEGIN QUOTATION]
A. General status of the Bahá'Ãs within the country’s system
They will not be expelled from the country without reason.
They will not be arrested, imprisoned, or penalized without reason.
The government’s dealings with them must be in such a way that their progress and development are blocked.
B. Educational and cultural status
They can be enrolled in schools provided they have not identified themselves as Bahá'Ãs.
Preferably, they should be enrolled in schools which have a strong and imposing religious ideology.
They must be expelled from universities, either in the admission process or during the course of their studies, once it becomes known that they are Bahá'Ãs.
Their political (espionage) activities must be dealt with according to appropriate government laws and policies, and their religious and propaganda activities should be answered by giving them religious and cultural responses, as well as propaganda.
Propaganda institutions (such as the Islamic Propaganda Organization) must establish an independent section to counter the propaganda and religious activities of the Bahá'Ãs.
A plan must be devised to confront and destroy their cultural roots outside the country.
C. Legal and social status
Permit them a modest livelihood as is available to the general population.
To the extent that it does not encourage them to be Bahá'Ãs, it is permissible to provide them the means for ordinary living in accordance with the general rights given to every Iranian citizen, such as ration booklets, passports, burial certificates, work permits, etc.
Deny them employment if they identify themselves as Bahá'Ãs.
Deny them any position of influence, such as in the educational sector, etc.
Wishing you divine confirmations,
Secretary of the Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council
[END QUOTATION]
to the full translation of the original document quoted above, click here.
if you would like to write your congressmen/congresswomen about these atrocities and encourage them to substantiate america's commitment to human rights by speaking out against the persecution of Bahá'Ãs, please leave me a comment and i'll e-mail you instructions on how to do so. thank you.
The White House's March 28 statement on the situation is up at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/03/20060328-2.html:
Q Scott, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief has said that she's highly concerned that the government of Iran is about to increase its persecution of the 300,000 members of the Baha'i faith in that country. What is the President's message to the government of Iran on this issue?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, as you pointed out, she has expressed her concern that the situation with regard to religious minorities in Iran, the Baha'i, is, in fact, worsening. We share those concerns. We call on the regime in Iran to respect the religious freedom of all its minorities, and to ensure that these minorities are free to practice their religious beliefs without discrimination or fear. And we will continue to monitor the situation of the Baha'i -- the Baha'is in Iran very closely, and to speak out when their rights are denied.
Q What pressure would you urge, perhaps, other countries to put on Iran?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think we will talk with ambassadors of other countries in the region and raise this issue with them, and with their governments. We will continue to speak out and to raise this issue, the treatment of the Baha'is, in the United Nations and other organizations, and to ask all those who have any sort of influence in Tehran to continue to defend the rights of the Baha'i and other religious minorities.